In Sermon Illustrations: "Fasting Prayer"

The First And Second Great Revival

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 24, 2018

The first recorded revival in Christian history happened from a prayer meeting that took place with a handful of disciples in the upper room (Acts 1:14). The result of that prayer meeting was that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:2-4, Acts 4:23-24

Tags: Prayer, Revival

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Maybe It's Good News......maybe It's Bad News.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 15, 2019

Many times we really don’t know what we should specifically pray for. We are not omniscient. We don’t know everything, nor can we see into the future. So we don’t know whether the things we’re asking for will turn out good or bad for us. An old story illustrates: A Chinese gentleman lived on the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Prayer, Will Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Horse Won't Stop!

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

There's this guy who had been lost and walking in the desert for about 2 weeks. One hot day, he sees the home of a missionary. Tired and weak, he crawls up to the house and collapses on the doorstep. The missionary finds him and nurses him back to health. Feeling better, the man asks the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:35

Tags: Supplication, Prayer

Denomination: Methodist

Cipa (Congenital Insensitivity To Pain With Anhydrosis)

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Mar 10, 2022

Not far from my home lives a young woman who was born with a very rare disease called CIPA, congenital insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis. Imagine having a body that looks normal and acts normally, except for one thing: You cannot feel physical pain. That sounds as if it would be a blessing. But ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Pain, Prayer

Denomination: Brethren

A Good Start Matters

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Mar 19, 2024

I can remember it like it was yesterday. It was my sixth-grade field day when all the elementary schools gathered for a series of track and field events at the town’s high school track. It was a sunny New England spring morning and I was representing Glen Forest Elementary School in the 50-yard ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:8, Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 4:5

Tags: Prayer, Meditation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Grass On Your Path

Contributed by David Dunn on Jan 21, 2026

Prayer sharpens perception. It tunes the heart so you sense danger before it speaks. John Bunyan once wrote, “Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.” Both can’t thrive in the same heart. Early African believers understood this. Each had a path ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:41

Tags: Prayer, Vigilance

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Treating God Like Amazon

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

You’ve been up at 2 AM, scrolling, adding things to a cart you don’t need with money you don’t have for a version of yourself that doesn’t exist. And the next morning you wake up and think, “What was that?” That was your desires running the show while your judgment was asleep. And that’s not just a ...read more

Scripture: James 4:2-3

Tags: Prayer, Idolatry

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pastoral ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Pastoral Appreciation Pastors are very thankful to the Lord for every worker that God has given to the church of Jesus Christ. There is no greater blessing than to see obedient Christians exercise their gifts under the guidance of agape love. Whether it be the gift of helps, administration, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:11

Tags: Pastors

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Grandfather Overheard His Granddaughter ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2005

A grandfather overheard his granddaughter repeating the alphabet in reverent, hushed tones. "What are you doing?" he asked. "I’m praying, Grandpa," she said. "I can’t think of the right words, so I just say all the letters. God will put ...read more

Tags: Simple Faith, Prayer How To, Prayer

The Water Jar  PRO

Contributed by Truuke Ameigh on Mar 2, 2003

Hi Kids! Today we are talking about prayer and I have a special demonstration for you that shows how prayer works. First, I’m going to give each one of you a little bottle of food coloring. Be careful with it so we don’t stain the carpet or our clothes. Now, do you see this jar of water here on ...read more

Tags: Children, Prayer How To, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Is Nothing That Makes Us Love A ...  PRO

Contributed by David Dewitt on Jan 8, 2001

“There is nothing that makes us love a person so much as ...read more

Tags: Compassion, Prayer Adoration, Prayer General

Denomination: Church Of God

God's Other Names  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 20, 2001

GOD'S OTHER NAMES A mother walked by her young son’s room one night and heard him praying, "Andy, please forgive me for my sins". This worried the mother; so she asked her son why was he praying to "Andy", not God. The son responded, "I was praying to God, Andy is his nickname." This really ...read more

Tags: Children, Prayer General, Prayer How To

Have You Ever Heard Of George Mueller? One Day He ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on May 20, 2002

Have you ever heard of George Mueller? One day he looked down the streets of Bristol, England, & saw 100’s of homeless children. He was so moved with concern for them that he decided that something had to be done. He had only two pence in his pocket. That’s two cents. But he decided to start an ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered, Prayer Persistence, Bread

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Didn't Get An Allowance When I Was In High ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on May 21, 2009

I didn’t get an allowance when I was in high school and any kind of paying work was few and far between. My parents expected me to come to them when I needed money for lunch money, class rings, yearbooks, books, gas money, dates, or anything. Instead of being thankful that they wanted to give me ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication, God Answers Prayer

Denomination: *other

Pray With Me: An Intercession Story

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 31, 2014

In his book Stories for the Journey, William White tells of a European seminary professor and his wife, Hans and Enid. During WW2 they escaped to America, where Hans began teaching in a seminary. Students loved this Bible teacher, and they enjoyed observing the tender love that Hans and Enid ...read more

Scripture: John 16:20-22

Tags: Grief, Prayer Partner, Intercessory Prayer

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Relaxing Our Grip On Troubles

Contributed by Jerry Stephens on Mar 18, 2017

Recently I was praying at bedtime. I felt overwhelmed by the things I didn’t get done that day; things that would be facing me the moment I opened my eyes the following morning. As I recited my litany of woes, I sensed the Holy Spirit asking me which among them I thought he couldn’t handle. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Trust, Prayer, Prayer General, Trouble

Denomination: Vineyard

What God Can Do  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Jan 6, 2003

WHAT GOD CAN DO "When we depend upon organizations, we get what organizations can do; when we depend upon education, we get what education can do; when we depend upon man, we get what man can do; but ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Prayer General, God's Omnipotence

Denomination: *other

Power Of A Praying Mother  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 28, 2004

POWER OF A PRAYING MOTHER The year was 1820 and Peter Richley was a grateful man. He had survived one of the strangest and most harrowing events known to mankind. The ship which he had been traveling on sank. He was rescued. By some strange twist of circumstance, however, this ship sank. He was ...read more

Scripture: James 5:1-10, James 5:1-10

Tags: Prayer Answered, Prayer General, Mother's Day

Pulled To Shore  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 11, 2004

PULLED TO SHORE "Prayer is surrender-surrender to the will of God and cooperation with that will. If I throw out a boat hook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:5-13

Tags: Parable General, Prayer General, Prayer Supplication

Always Pray And Don't Give Up  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 11, 2004

ALWAYS PRAY AND DON’T GIVE UP Jesus taught that we should “always pray and not give up” · Not because God is hard of hearing · Not because God needs to be pestered into answering our requests · Not because God doesn’t want to answer us NO… Jesus taught us always pray and not give up because, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-18, 2 Kings 2:9, 1 Samuel 12:23-24, 1 Samuel 12:23-24, 1 Samuel 12:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Persistence, Parable General